Basalt broke ground on its first Habitat for Humanity home Tuesday. A family of six will move into the house that’s near downtown. Aspen Public Radio’s Marci Krivonen reports.
Jacque Whitsitt: "I want to welcome everybody to our first-ever Habitat for Humanity home in the Town of Basalt!"
Basalt mayor Jacque Whitsitt spoke to a crowd at the future home site Tuesday. The Town sold the plot to Habitat for Humanity for ten dollars. A 1500 square foot home will be built here. Assaf Dory and his family will occupy the space.
"We really are blessed and it’s a humbling experience," he says.
Dory is on crutches. He lost his leg while serving as a deputy sheriff in Florida. Four years ago he moved his family to the Roaring Fork Valley. A friend kept encouraging him to look into applying for a Habitat home.
"He really cajoled me into it. He told me it’s a hand up instead of a hand out and the whole community supports it. I don’t know what winning a lottery feels like, but I think it’s something like this!"
Construction starts in May.